Senior Gameplay Animator

Why us?:
welevel is an innovative game studio based in Munich, backed by top-tier investors. We are developing Solid River, the first AAA survival game with deep city-building mechanics in the late game, set in a medieval, procedurally generated world with AI-driven NPCs.

Here’s what makes us stand out:
• Inspiring Work Environment: A central Munich location with a diverse, motivated, and international team that fosters creativity and collaboration.
• Competitive Compensation: We believe in rewarding talent with attractive and fair packages.
• Innovative Technology: Work with the latest tools and technologies to push boundaries and make the impossible possible.

Your Role:
We are looking for a Senior Gameplay Animator to join our team onsite in Munich. This role is critical in bringing our AI-driven characters and creatures to life, ensuring fluid, believable, and immersive animations that elevate the player experience. You will work closely with designers, engineers, and AI specialists to craft high-quality animations that respond dynamically to in-game events.

Responsibilities:
• Create and implement high-quality keyframe and motion capture animations for characters, creatures, and objects in a dynamic survival game environment.
• Work closely with AI and gameplay programmers to ensure animations integrate seamlessly with NPC behaviors and procedural systems.
• Develop compelling combat, traversal, and interaction animations that enhance player immersion.
• Collaborate with designers and artists to maintain a consistent animation style that aligns with the game’s artistic direction.
• Optimize animations for real-time performance while maintaining quality.
• Use Unreal Engine and custom animation tools to ensure smooth animation blending and transitions.
• Provide mentorship and feedback to junior animators, sharing best practices and technical knowledge.

Requirements:
• 3+ years of experience as a Gameplay Animator in the gaming industry, with at least one shipped AAA game.
• Proficiency in Maya, MotionBuilder, or Blender for animation creation.
• Strong experience working with Unreal Engine (UE5 preferred), including animation blueprints.
• Deep understanding of human and creature locomotion, weight, and anatomy.
• Experience with motion capture pipelines, cleanup, and integration.
• Knowledge of procedural animation techniques and AI-driven animation is a plus.
• Onsite position (EU work authorization required).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to adapt in a fast-paced development environment.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with a passion for high-quality animation.

Nice to have:
• Experience with Ragdoll physics, IK systems, and secondary motion.
• Familiarity with AI-driven animation and machine learning techniques.
• Background in technical animation or experience developing animation tools.
• Passion for survival and city-building games.

What we offer:
• Work on a groundbreaking AAA survival city-building game.
• Be part of a passionate and highly experienced team.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to innovate in AI-driven game development.
• A chance to grow with a rapidly expanding game studio backed by top industry veterans.

Are you ready to embark on an epic journey with welevel and make SolidRiver an unforgettable gaming experience? Don't hesitate!

Apply now and let your creativity flow like a mighty river!